By Elizabeth Scheinberg
From: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20140126/NEWS02/301260055/Where-Markell-getting-500-million-road-projects-
"Delaware motorists could see higher taxes and fees to help pay for a $500 million five year proposal from Gov. Jack Markell to improve roads and bridges statewide..."
And this from: http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014301230087
"The governor said he was working with teachers, including the Delaware State Education
Association, on a plan that he hopes to introduce this spring. Cathy
Rossi, Markell’s spokeswoman, said there would be no pay increase in the
budget for next year; any proposal would apply to future years..."
So here's the question of the day:
Should we spending money on roads and bridges while leave teachers who work in high needs schools high and dry?
If education is to be the great equalizer that reformers claim it to be, shouldn't we be investing in our educators and classrooms? Remember: Not so long ago, DOE rejected CSD's plan to compensate teachers in high needs schools by making RTTT funds available to them for extra professional development or teaching enhancements like technology.
So, which is it, Roads or Education? Markell apparently prefers bridges to kids.
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By Elizabeth Scheinberg
After decades of forced busing, that mechanism by which both city schools and suburban schools were integrated by race and economics, and ten years after the turmoil caused by said busing has been dismantled, Wilmington's City Council President, Theo Gregory, the former head of Old-Moyer forcibly removed by the state, makes it quite clear that those students who are raised in the suburbs are not welcome in his city's charter schools.
Speaking about the new Community Education Building - soon to be the home of four charter schools - Gregory has this to say:
“I want to see this commitment that many or most of these kids are going
to be urban kids because you’re using our conduit bonds to do this,”
Gregory said.
The News Journal goes on to explain:
...Gregory and other city leaders want more assurances that the
schools housed in the building will serve mostly city kids. If the tower
becomes the ideal learning environment organizers have described, they
fear it would be possible for suburban kids to be attracted to it.
(Bold, Underline, and Red added by Blogger.)
That's one hell of a Welcome to Wilmington!
Yes, the City extended its conduit bond financing to the renovations of the CEB building, allowing the construction to occur at a reduced interest rate while the city assumes none of the debt nor ownership. That was certainly a kindness.
However, and it's a big "however," the education of all children served in the City of Wilmington is primarily supported by suburban tax payers.
Theo forgets that that his city lacks the wealth to support its own traditional school district and that the majority of local funds that follow students from the traditional school districts into charters, regardless of the location of the charter, are generated out in the suburbs.
Theo wants my tax dollars. But, he doesn't want my kids. I'm not all right with that, but I certainly won't tread where I am not welcome. So, while urban students will continue to receive my tax dollars (and I am more than okay with that because I believe that education is the most deserving Government Entitlement Program ever created) Theo's City won't see another dime out of me, no parking revenue, no shopping revenue, no entertainment revenue.
I hope Theo's conduit bond financing keeps him and his residents warm at night, 'cause next time I get that urban itch - City of Philadelphia/Baltimore/Newark/New York/D.C., here I come!
(Some politicians really have a knack for sticking both feet in their mouths.)
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By Elizabeth Scheinberg
Under Lillian Lowery, DOE failed to close Reach. Now, under the direction of Markell's water boy, Sec. of Education Murphy, DOE has again failed to shutter the only public school in our state that serves girls and only girls.
The department just can't learn - which is mildly ironic as DOE claims Reach's students aren't being taught. Regardless, buried in the briefings filed just days before federal Judge Leonard P. Stark gave Reach another year to operate, the department stayed true to form when it slipped in the following Bully Card:
The court’s final ruling could be significant beyond Delaware. The
Delaware Department of Education noted in a Dec. 30 court filing that a
ruling in Reach’s favor “rendering this federal regulation facially
unconstitutional would greatly affect the interests of the United States
Department of Education. In addition to there being no support for such
a ruling, it is questionable that the Court should do so without
participation of the U.S. DOE in this suit.” http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20140105/NEWS03/301050051/Reach-Academy-stay-open-next-year
Reread the graf above!
Oh! yes, they did. DOE's legal eagles asserted that if Judge Stark found for Reach that:
- The federal regulation that gives the DOE the ability to close schools would be declared unconstitutional,
- The ruling would "greatly affect the interests of the" US DOE,
- The court really shouldn't rule without the participation of the US DOE.
Yep, our little DOE actually thought that its status quo attack method of bullying would work on the US federal court.
They just can't learn.
Hat's off to Reach for virtually rendering DOE's precious high stakes tests meaningless. And thank you to Judge Stark who did not crumble despite the threats that he was undoing all of democracy.
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By Elizabeth Scheinberg
Kilroy's baking a cake (he broke the egg in Reach Story) - Get all the gooey goodness here:
http://kilroysdelaware.wordpress.com/2014/01/04/breaking-u-s-district-court-favors-reach-academy/
In this latest twist, Reach wins a one year reprieve as DOE is ordered by the US District Court of Delaware to permit the school to continue operating with "reasonable conditions." However, parts of the suit were thrown out although the adjudicator opined a route for Individuals to pick-up the suit where it has been determined that Reach itself, as an entity of the state, cannot sue the state.
Okay, girls, you've scored a goal and left your opponent, Gov. Markell, along with his hand-picked minion of public education destruction, the DE Sec. of Education, a pair of black eyes. They are re-grouping and you can bet the aforementioned restrictions are going include some doozies. While it's important to mark this date with celebration, you can't let your win knock you off your game. You and I both know that student testing data - specifically whatever high-stakes test they throw at you - are your challenge. And even though those of us with even a little bit of common sense know that those tests are meaningless as an assessment of student learning (they only measure what you've learned if you can express that knowledge in the manner the test demands - and these tests are in no way indicators of the quality of the actual teaching you are receiving), you're are going have to find a way to game that test if you are to have any hope of a 2015-16 school year.
Good Luck!
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